Hey, Chef: What's Your Favorite Hot Dog?

From food-truck upstarts to Michelin-starred veterans, there’s one thing that unites most chefs: The love of a good hot dog. After a long shift in the kitchen, the easy appeal of a fully-loaded tubesteak beckons. And when chefs get a day off during the summer, they’re just as likely as the rest of us to hit the ballpark to enjoy a dog and a beer while watching the game.

So, which wieners do chefs give top ratings? We hollered at a couple dozen pros from around the country to ask one simple question: What’s your favorite hot dog of all time?

Jason Lawless

Executive chef, Tocqueville RestaurantFavorite hot dog: Bacon cheddar dog at Bark Hot Dogs
Location: 474 Bergen St, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY (718-789-1939, barkhotdogs.com)
Lawless says: "Every time I go to Bark, I get the Bacon Cheddar Dog. It is a pork and beef weiner griddle roasted in Bark butter in a New England style top split bun. Served with smoky Grafton cheddar sauce, Nueskes applewood smoked bacon, and pickled red onions. It's great because it's really rich and has an awesome balance between the smoky bacon and hot dog and the sweet-tart bite of the pickled red onions."

Alex Garcia

Executive chef, AG Kitchen, AmigosFavorite hot dog: Tijuana foot long
Location: Crif Dog, 112 St. Mark's Place, New York, NY (212-614-0386, crifdogs.com)
Garcia says: “I like everything with a Latino flair—and hot dogs are no different. I make a hot dog that I called the Tijuana foot long—it's a bacon wrapped Kobe hot dog topped with fresh pico de gallo and pineapple jalapeno salsa, served on a sweet bun. The Kobe hot dog is the base, and the pico de gallo and salsa add a nice sweet contrast to the bacon wrapped dog. The great thing about hot dogs are the versatility—dress it up according to whatever cuisine you're in the mood for!”

Praveen Pedankar

Executive chef, Brick Lane Curry HouseFavorite hot dog: Oroshi dog at JAPADOG
Location: 30 St. Mark’s Place, New York (646-476-2324, japadog.com)
Pedankar says: “My favorite hot dog is JAPADOG on St. Mark's: the Oroshi topped with freshly grated daikon and soya sauce. It's the best hot dog because of its perfect snap factor, meaning when you take that first bite the frank snaps in your mouth.”

Neal Corman

Executive chef, Virgil’s Real BarbecueFavorite hot dog: Nathan’s hot dog at Yankee Stadium
Location: 1 East 161st St, Bronx, NY
Corman says: “In my opinion, Yankee stadium is the greatest place to get a hot dog in New York. The hot dog is nothing fancy—but even with the new food at the stadium, you just can't go there without eating Nathan's.”

Steve Martorano

Executive chef, Cafe Martorano, MartoranoFavorite hot dog: Pink's
Location: 709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA (323-931-7594, pinkshollywood.com)
Martorano says: "From the quality of the hot dog itself to the freshness of the bread and the flavor of the sauerkraut—other than my own—it's great. I don't use mustard or ketchup—you bury the flavor with too many toppings. Just a good dog and a fresh bun and good sauerkraut."

Clark Frasier

Co-chef and owner, Arrows, MC Perkins CoveFavorite hot dog: Flo’s Hot Dogs
Location: 1359 Route 1, Cape Neddick, ME (323-931-7594, floshotdogs.com/)
Frasier says: "The key to this classic dog--go is their famous relish, but skip the ketchup! I believe their relish is now sold for retail, but part of the experience is eating at the restaurant itself, an old wood shack at the edge of the woods. Worth the often 30-minute wait!"

Wolfgang Ban

Co-chef and owner, Seasonal Restaurant & Weinbar, Edi & the Wolf,The Third ManFavorite hot dog: The Käsekrainer at Bitzinger’s Würstelstand
Location: Augustinerstraße 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria (bitzinger.at/wuerstelstand/)
Ban says: "Nothing stands up to the cheese sausage at Bitzinger's Würstelstand in Vienna, in the 1st District near the opera. The sausage stand is open open 24 hours and is the spot for everyone to meet up after a late night out. My favorite is the Käsekrainer, pork sausage with bits of melting cheese inside. To me, it's the best sausage in the world!"

Glenn Harris

Executive chef and co-owner, Jane, The SmithFavorite hot dog: Nathan’s Famous
Location: 1310 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY (nathansfamous.com)
Harris says: "Nathan's Famous, Coney Island. Nothing beats it. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Right off the griddle. Just the right amount of mustard. Nothing better. I'm a purist."

Matt McClure

Executive chef, The HiveFavorite hot dog: Fenway Park
Location: 4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA
McClure says: “Before moving back to my hometown of Bentonville, I spent a lot of time in Boston, learning about the local products, fresh seafood, and unique food ways of the region. Despite all of the gourmet food I got to cook and eat, I can still say that one of my favorite things to eat in Boston was a hot dog at Fenway Park. The hot dogs at Fenway are classic ballpark dogs, with a great snap and a great environment in which to enjoy a dog.”

Anita Lo

Chef and owner, AnnisaFavorite hot dog: Hot Dog Stand at Lufker Airport
Location: 115 Montauk Highway, East Moriches, NY
Lo says: "There is a hot dog RV/stand that parks at Lufker airfield on Montauk highway in East Moriches. I get the regular dog, which has a natural casing, so it has that juicy snap, and I get mustard and sauerkraut on top to cut the fat. The hot dog probably isn't anything special, but for some reason—perhaps a confluence of being by the ocean which makes you want something salty, and pure nostalgia for the area—I find it one of the finest hot dogs around. But if I am in NYC, I love the Chicago Dog at Shake Shack. Love those sport peppers!"

David Standridge

Executive chef, Market TableFavorite hot dog: The Ripper at Rutt’s Hut
Location: 417 River Road, Clifton, NJ (973-779-8615, ruttshut.com)
Standridge says: "That’s an easy one: Rutt’s Hut in Clifton, NJ. Long before Criff dog came along and started dropping hot dogs in the deep fryer, Rutt’s Hut was churning out “Rippers” (hot dogs deep fried until the crispy skin tears open). The first time I went there was during my summer job as a fill in cookie salesman for Nabisco. I got taken out to lunch by a local and we feasted on rippers with sweet mustardy relish, and cheese fries. As authentic a Jersey culinary experience as there is. "

Richard Kuo

Executive chef, Pearl & AshFavorite hot dog: Cart in LA’s Fashion District
Location: 110 E 9th Street, Los Angeles, CA
Kuo says:"One of the best hot dogs I've had was from a cart on the side of the street in the Fashion District of Downtown LA. It was a quarter-pound weiner wrapped in bacon and topped with jalapeno, shaved cabbage, pickled red onions, cilantro, a little bit of mayo, hot sauce, and pico de gallo. It was pretty awesome in the sense that it was more or less a hot dog, taco, and nachos, all rolled into one. And it was only $4.50. How can you go wrong with that? It was a big, heaping mound of food and it was delicious!"

Ben Daitz

Chef and co-owner, Num PangFavorite hot dog: The Beef Brisket Dog at Brooklyn Bangers
Location: Barclays Center concessions, Brooklyn, NY
Daitz says:"The Brooklyn Bangers Beef Brisket Dog isn't your typical ballgame hot dog. Since it is made with beef brisket, it is slightly smoky and has a bit of a coarser texture than a normal hot dog. Even better is that it is served in a pretzel roll and topped with this great mustard relish."

John Mooney

Chef and partner, Bell, Book & CandleFavorite hot dog: Wiener Circle
Location: 2622 N Park Street, Chicago, IL (773-477-7444, wienercircle.net)
Mooney says: "My favorite hot dog is from the Wiener's Circle on Clark Street in Chicago. They call it a char cheddar. It comes off a charcoal grill giving it that great grill flavor, but then it gets a generous helping of spreadable sharp cheddar. It’s awesome!”

Ken Oringer

Chef and owner, Clio, Toro, Coppa, Uni, La Verdad, EarthFavorite hot dog: New York City street cart dog
Location: Anywhere in NYC
Oringer says: "Hot dogs are my guilty pleasure. I could have a tasting menu at Per Se, and if I pass a street cart with hot dogs on my way home I'll stop and get one. I know there are all these better ones out there, but good old New York City street cart hot dogs are still my favorite. I think it's the nostalgia of it. Ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut and relish is the way to go."

Michael Lomonaco

Executive chef, Porter House New York, Center BarFavorite hot dog: Nathan’s Hot Dog
Location: Coney Island (nathansfamous.com)
Lomonaco says: “The original Nathan's hot dog is my favorite; the snap of the perfect dog, griddle cooked on a warm bun with the whiff of salt air mixed with the hot buttered corn aroma from nearby make this all-beef frank PERFECT!”

Dale Talde

Chef and co-founder, TALDEFavorite hot dog: Vienna Red Hot from Wiener Circle
Location: 2622 N Clark St Chicago, IL (773-477-7444, wienercircle.net)
Talde says: "It’s real gangster type of place to get a good Vienna red hot in Chicago. Normally people go there when they are drunk. The employees make fun of you and you get to make fun of them."

Spencer Rubin

Founder, Melt ShopFavorite hot dog: Rutt’s Hut
Location: 417 River Rd, Clifton, NJ (973-779-8615, ruttshut.com)
Rubin says: "They deep fry their dogs until the casing splits and they get this great crispy texture on outside. These dogs, coined ‘the ripper,' are great with the Rutt's Hut special relish, and the place has always been a solid Jersey hang out."

From food-truck upstarts to Michelin-starred veterans, there's one thing that unites most chefs: The love of a good hot dog. After a long shift in the kitchen, the easy appeal of a fully-loaded tubesteak beckons. And when chefs get a day off during the summer, they're just as likely as the rest of us to hit the ballpark to enjoy a dog and a beer while watching the game.
So, which wieners do chefs give top ratings? We hollered at a couple dozen pros from around the country to ask one simple question: What's your favorite hot dog of all time?

Alexander Martinez

Executive chef, DBGBFavorite hot dog: The Paul Kelly at Hot Doug's
Location: 3324 N California Ave, Chicago, IL (773-279-9550, hotdougs.com)
Martinez says: "There is a place in Chicago called Hot Doug’s, and as the name implies, it’s all about the hot dogs (they refer to themselves as The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium). When I was living and cooking in Chicago, I ate there about 30 times. They have the BEST duck fat fries, but those you can only get on Fridays and Saturdays. Back to the dogs. I have two favorites:
The Paul Kelly, which is a classic and has been on the menu since opening—bratwurst soaked in beer, with Dijon, caramelized onions, and relish. The other is a special from time to time—a Cognac-infused pheasant sausage with fresh herb mustard, double creame brie cheese, duck confit, and sel citron. The cracked casing, soft cheese on the inside, and hint of salt with citrus, all on a bun, makes this totally mouthwatering!"

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